Smoky Grilled Kansas City BBQ Beef Brisket

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-15 · Updated 2026-05-15

This slow-grilled beef brisket captures the smoky, tender flavors reminiscent of Kansas City's iconic BBQ, served with a tangy house-made sauce. This American-inspired grilling recipe, ready in about 340 minutes, pairs beef brisket, kosher salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs beef brisket
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup hickory wood chips

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Combine 2 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp paprika, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp onion powder in a bowl; rub this spice blend evenly over the entire surface of the 3 lbs beef brisket. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Step 2: Preheat your grill to 225°F indirect heat and add 1 cup hickory wood chips to create smoke. Place the brisket on the grill grate away from direct flame, cover, and smoke for approximately 5 hours, maintaining 225°F, until the internal temperature reaches 195°F and the meat is tender.
3. Step 3: While the brisket smokes, whisk together 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tbsp molasses, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
4. Step 4: Remove the brisket from the grill and let rest for 20 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain. Serve with the smoky BBQ sauce drizzled over or on the side for dipping.